Got the Magic In Me
by SugarPunch
Summary: Every family has got its secrets. Its conspiracies. Its strange but true stories. But when you can't tell what's going on and you are left to your own devices, who do you turn to? [Supernatural/Magic AU]
1. Chapter 1

She was a very normal girl. Sure, she had her every day quarrels with her twin brother, met up with her friends to play out her usual antics, and sometimes developed an unhealthy obsession with things. But that was what normal girls did, right?

She was absolutely, a one hundred percent sure that was what normal girls did. Listening to boy bands as a teenager, having awesome summer vacations with her family, developing your average crush on every boy she met.

Mabel Pines looked very normal through normal people's eye vision.

But Mabel Pines was anything _but_ normal.

It wasn't her strange sense of humor that made her weird. Nor was it the extraordinary way she dressed herself every morning when she had to go out. Mabel loved picking out various outfits to grab attention, to scream with clothes rather than words that she was adorable and easy-going. However, it wasn't her attitude that made her stand out either.

The Pines family had a dark secret. And if the Pines learned their newborn anything, it was that they should keep the secret bound to the family, no matter what. No one else was supposed to know.

As a child, it was very difficult to keep her mouth shut about it. Luckily for her she had a logical brother to keep her on the right track, instead of spilling the beans that probably had been kept in a jar for decades, if not centuries. Dipper, as the family had dubbed him, was far more intellectual than his twin sister. He was the one that came up with conspiracy theories, the one who unravelled the mysteries and the one who constantly warned her about things.

But they didn't let it bother them. They both learned that they had weaknesses and strengths, and that when they worked together, they were unstoppable. That was quite a necessity in this cruel, harsh world. Having a partner made the hurt easier.

Of course, this also meant that without your partner by your side, you got vulnerable. Mabel seemed quite laid-back when she hung out with her friends, but when trouble was around the corner, she would most likely panic and do something stupid. Dipper was the one that saved her out of that mess more than once. Except he wasn't there the exact moment it happened.

Nor could he have warned her about it, or prevent it like he usually did.

It all happened so fast. Poor Mabel had little time to react.

* * *

"Mabel! Are you going to the library?"

The brunette looked up from her comic book, her legs still happily rocking back and forth as she remained sprawled on her bed, laying on her stomach. When she saw her brother coming into her room and recognized the stern look on his face, she squinted her eyes in slight discomfort and confusion.

Dipper sighed. "Have you forgotten our agreement?"

He sounded disappointed, but that didn't faze Mabel. At least not a lot. "And you have forgotten how to knock," she shot back with a glare. Despite that, she sat up and closed her comic book, albeit doing it with a look of discontent. "I don't want to study, Dipper..." she whined.

Mabel tried her best with the puppy eyes. That much, Dipper could notice. It didn't work however, as he kept his foot down and folded his arms. "I know Mabel, but I promised mom and dad I would help you with your grades," he informed her. The boy paused, but continued when he saw the retort forming in Mabel's brain. "I'm also aware that I have my own classes today and can't help you with your studying, but that doesn't mean you can't make a head start."

The corners of her mouth fell and she kicked at an imaginary rock lying next to her bed.

"Man, this stinks," Mabel continued, flopping back onto her bed with little regard for the comic book. "We're magicians! We shouldn't be forced to study all this stupid stuff. We've got magic to learn!"

Dipper immediately pressed a finger against her lips. "Shh!" he grunted. "Nobody's supposed to know that! Well, at least not the 'normal' humans, for the time being..."

Mabel pushed his hand away, sitting straight up on her own bed now. She faced her brother with an annoyed look on her face, barely containing the eye roll she so desperately wanted to do. "Oh come on, bro. We're inside our own house," she reasoned. It wasn't like she was screaming it on the roof at the top of her lungs. She only tried to do that once. "Besides, it's not like that's our biggest problem here."

Dipper eyed her unamused. "It's not funny and you know it. When it comes to magicians, our family is nothing but a failure..." He casted his eyes downwards.

The brunette felt bad for what she had said. Her brother was right.

"Cheer up, Dipper," she said, forcing a laugh. "Tell you what, I'll go to the library right now, and when I come back we can play a quick game of Call of Duty, alright?" Mabel playfully punched his shoulder, earning her an honest smile from her brother. He nodded.

"Sure. But this time, I'll kick your ass."

His sister clicked her tongue, turning around to leave her room in order to get to the library. "Language, bro!"

Dipper grunted. "We're eighteen, Mabel. And leave that comic book here!"

Darn it.

The girl threw said item back on her bed and smiled sheepishly, before really leaving her room with her brother in tow. They both went downstairs, one about ready to leave for college and the other trying to be as slow as possible. It only took an angry glare and a 'would you hurry up?' from Dipper before they headed out.

"You going to look into our heritage some more later?" Mabel asked curiously.

Dipper nodded again. "Yeah. Mom and dad know more than they let on, but I don't think they're going to tell us anything. Might as well figure it out myself," he said.

His sister hummed thoughtfully before she spun on her heel. "Lemme know what you find, 'kay? I wanna know too."

She received a happy, dorky smile. "Will keep you updated. As long as you study, got it?"

Mabel gleefully rolled her eyes, the gesture not as sassy as it normally should've been. She snorted, waved her brother off and promised him that she would do her utmost best to keep her grades from falling any lower. Human studies were just so boring...

As she made her way to the library, she couldn't help but think about all the mysteries surrounding the magician world. Mabel never learned much about it and neither did Dipper. Their parents were very reluctant in letting them know anything about magic. The only thing they ever got to know was that magic was dangerous to use for a Pines. They were explicitly told to never learn it and to never use it, for it could cause something greatly disastrous for them.

Mabel was bummed out for days. In fact, she still thought bitterly over the entire situation. Dipper was even less amused. A whole new world to explore and they weren't allowed to do it.

That didn't stop them from learning, though. Dipper and Mabel sometimes managed to get their hands some on old books for mages. It didn't teach them magic, but it had taught them about the various dangerous creatures living in their very own world. Sometimes it also contained information about humans – whether or not they could see the creatures that plagued their fellow humans, if they could learn some type of magic themselves, if you could trust them.

The answer to all of those were no.

But what intrigued Mabel the most was the basics to learning magic. Sure, she couldn't use it, but she might as well _know_ anyway, right? Knowledge was good to have. She might help out some other poor magician who couldn't get a start. Or daydream away about how it must feel to be able to use magic...

Speaking of daydreaming, she really shouldn't do that out on the streets. Mabel shook her head, clearing it of any thoughts, and rounded a corner to reach the library. Luckily for both Dipper and her, their home was located close to both their college and the local library, making it an easy ten minute walk for the brunette. She expected nothing out of the ordinary today.

Boy, was she wrong.

The second Mabel rounded the corner, she looked up and froze.

Several feet away from her stood a blonde girl leisurely waiting for whatever to happen. But it wasn't the girl who grabbed her attention at first – it was the dark figure looming behind her that did.

Mabel didn't know how to describe the creature, but it certainly wasn't human. It looked more like a kangaroo anatomy-wise, it's back decorated with sharp looking spikes. It's fangs were bared, and it had long, sharp nails on its paws. The creature eyed very tall, but it now stood bent over in an attempt to grab the blonde with just its teeth.

Everything looked like it was straight out of a horror movie.

The girl barely had time to jump forward and push the blonde out of the way. Mabel shut her eyes and held up her hands defensively, though she knew it had very little to no effect against those sharp claws and teeth now lunging at her. She heard a scream, realizing seconds later it was her own voice.

But the pain she expected from the inch deep gashes she no doubt should have to receive never came.

Now opening her eyes curiously, she noticed some sort of force field had appeared, decorated with several indescribable runes on the outer and inner lining. If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she wouldn't have believed it.

 _Pines rule number one._

Ignoring her own thoughts for a moment, she came to the realization this was her doing and hers alone. Mabel didn't know how she did it, but she had used magic just now to protect herself.

The shield disappeared and the monster pushed forward, this time aiming for a kill. Mabel's fear somehow had subsided and made room for confidence. No, she didn't know how to use magic, but that didn't mean she wouldn't punch the darn thing in the face.

And so she did. She threw her fist at the vile beast and felt her hand connect with its jaw. That seemed to trigger something as well, because she pushed with so much force the poor thing landed on the other side of the street. Another magic trick?

 _Never use magic._

Mabel saw the creature vaporizing into thin air. She liked to think it was scared and tried to escape, but she kept her guard up nonetheless. When nothing else came, she turned to the blonde so she could form an apology, only to stand frozen once again.

Said blonde was none other than Pacifica Northwest. Richest and sassiest girl in town – Mabel's number one, and only, enemy on her list. The blonde always seemed to want to outdo her, but now she stood before the brunette with her mouth agape.

"Hang on a second," Mabel heard her finally speak under her breath, barely audible.

 _For using magic..._

"You're... _You're_ a magician?"

 _Using magic takes time of your own life._

* * *

 **A/N:** Hiya, mod Cecille here! I've been meaning to upload here since forever, but I just never thought any of my fanfics were worth it (most are in Dutch anyway...). Though here we are, and with Gravity Falls no less. I've been binge watching this show for some time now and mod Sara and I are almost caught up now. _A_ _lmost_. Anyhow, welcome to my trashland and my ship choices (I've been warned that might probably change), though I don't believe romance is going to be a major factor in this. Not more than in the cartoon, anyway.

This story started thanks to a Tumblr prompt I read today and I couldn't help myself. I hope you enjoy the first chapter, and hopefully many more will come!


	2. Chapter 2

"You're... _You're_ a magician?"

Mabel slapped a hand over Pacifica's mouth. "Shh!" she imitated Dipper, frantically looking around. In the meantime, the blonde slapped her hand away. "Don't touch me," she hissed at first, then turned back to the subject at hand. Her expression turned into one of awe, although the disbelief was present as well. "I can't believe it. You just chased away a chupacabra as if it were nothing."

Wait, was it just her, or did Pacifica look impressed? Mabel didn't really know how to respond, remaining awkwardly on her spot and rubbing her arm in obvious discomfort. Right then, she made the click herself.

"You saw it?" Mabel asked, confusion evident on her face. "But then..." Her eyes became like saucers as she pointed an accusing finger at the girl, making a high pitched sound that got stuck in her throat.

It was now Pacifica's turn to clamp her hand over Mabel's mouth.

"If you open that big mouth of yours, I will make sure you can never open it again. Got it?" she threatened. The brunette nodded, fear now evident on her face. If Pacifica was indeed a magician, chances were she was able to do something like that.

She was released a second after, taking a deep breath as if she was almost suffocated moments ago. During her deep breath, she suddenly remembered something very important. Panic immediately worked its way onto her face as she grabbed her hair with both her hands and started pacing around frantically.

"Ooooohhhh boy. Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no," she chanted while doing so. "What am I going to do? What am I gonna do, whatamIgonnado?"

Pacifica raised an eyebrow and folded her arms. "What are you talking about?" she asked. She didn't receive an answer. Not a direct one, at least.

"My parents are gonna kill me..."

The blonde didn't know what the big deal was. So what if another magician found out about your identity? As if there weren't wizard meetings or strange cults active in the city. It would have been a problem if Pacifica was human, yes, but she was a magician herself. Usually magicians already knew about each other before they even verbally confessed.

But the fact she was never able to detect any magical power residing in the Pines family... It was rather strange. As if they suppressed it. Never used it. Was that even possible? Wouldn't their bodies just explode under the pressure? This was making her very curious. Maybe she could find out more... But that meant hanging out with that _dork_. Just like Mabel, Pacifica was having an internal debate. _Unlike_ Mabel, however, she kept quiet about it altogether.

"Hey," she finally spoke up. If she wanted answers, she should ask questions first. Not here, though. Here wasn't safe to talk. Mabel looked up, but kept pacing around. It began to work on Pacifica's nerves. "Would you stop that?" she snapped at the girl. Said person immediately froze in place, glancing curiously – albeit a bit afraid – at the blonde. "I can't believe I'm saying this," she continued, rolling her eyes. "But hold onto me for a second, okay?"

Mabel squinted her eyes, her brows furrowed in mild suspicion. Could she trust Pacifica? Her archenemy? Her nemesis? Her polar opposite?

Why, of course she could!

Without a word or even a hint of a glare, the brunette happily grabbed the other's shoulder and waited. It surprised Pacifica, to say the least, but then she remembered this was Mabel she was talking to. If it were her pesky brother, things would be a little more complicated. But she didn't complain. Not much. Even if she hated Mabel for her simple minded lifestyle...

Unlike the Pines, the Northwest family loved their ability to use magic. Of course they used it for themselves rather than help others, but Pacifica could safely say she was amazing at magic without lying for once. She teleported Mabel and herself out of the streets within a matter of seconds, now standing in the halls of the great Magic Council. Smiling proudly, she turned to the brunette.

Only to find even more discomfort in not only her eyes, but also her posture. Mabel had slumped her shoulders and tapped her fingers against each other in a nervous attempt to distract herself.

"Err, where are we exactly?" she asked.

Pacifica couldn't believe her ears. Did Mabel seriously just ask that question?

"This is the Magic Council. We can talk about magic and supernatural stuff here without interruption," she declared, rather annoyed at the girl for not knowing this. These were her fundamental roots. This was where magic should begin.

Mabel perked up a bit, though she remained wary of her surroundings. "Oh," was all she said. It was rather strange to not hear a waterfall of words fall out of her mouth, but Pacifica dismissed that thought. She was actually glad for it.

The blonde turned on her heels and started walking away from Mabel, leaving a very confused girl behind. Since the brunette didn't know _anything_ about this place and the fact she was brought here by the rich Northwest, she decided against better judgement and followed.

"So, what is the Magic Council? Is it a club for magicians or something?" she asked.

In her many years of seeking knowledge with Dipper, they had never come across a thing as big as this. It was fine, she supposed. Maybe it was meant to be a super big secret, just like her family secret that she would definitely take to her grave. Maybe only real magicians were allowed to know of the Magic Council. She was a Pines. Therefore, she wasn't a real magician.

Right then and there, Pacifica stopped dead in her tracks. "You're serious? That is a serious question?" came the response. Mabel stopped walking as well, turning towards the blonde when she was addressed. "Uh, yeah?" the brunette said rather confused. "If I wasn't, why would I ask?"

This time, Pacifica's mouth fell open not because she was impressed, but because she was taken aback by the ignorance she just heard. "Pines," she started after a few seconds of silence between them. "How much do you know about the supernatural?"

Mabel just shrugged. "Dipper and I know quite a bit about the creatures thanks to the books," she told the blonde truthfully. "And we know magic exists. That's about it." This, she lied. She also knew about curses, but that was information Pacifica didn't need. Right?

"So, what you mean to tell me is you've never been properly introduced to our world?"

This time a nod. Mabel didn't know if she should feel ashamed or not. Judging by the look she received, she probably should. But she couldn't. It wasn't _her_ fault their parents didn't want to tell them anything... "Mom and dad are really secretive about it. They never told us anything," she added. _Well, anything but our family curse_.

Pacifica looked to the ceiling as if asking mercy from the Gods above. She then heaved a heavy sigh, accepting her faith of having to tutor the one person she _probably_ liked the least. Although her creepy chemistry teacher was also a good candidate for that spot.

"Okay, listen up. The Magic Council is THE most important thing to a magician. Here you're safe, you can get magic lessons if you're new to magic, and you can find the library full of books about our world," Pacifica started. She dared to glance at Mabel to check if she was listening and to her surprise the girl actually was paying attention. "It was founded centuries ago by my family – an organization created to keep magicians in line and to keep the human world from finding out about our existence."

It was evident the blonde took great pride in the Council. Mabel could see that. It bugged her. "Isn't your family also the richest one in town? I heard you guys bought your way into the human council or whatever."

The brunette didn't mean it the way it sounded. Nonetheless, it ticked Pacifica off. "Yes we are, and no we didn't. Those are nothing but lies about us," she spat. Mabel raised her hands defensively. "Okay, I believe you. Rumors are dumb," the girl stated, though she questioned her own honesty of that sentence.

"Pines, I'm _warning_ you. I could send you straight back home this instant," the blonde threatened. Mabel kept quiet and took a quick look around, desperate to find the distraction she needed here.

What she saw now that she actually took a good look was something both Dipper and her couldn't dare to imagine. Everywhere were mages and harmless looking creatures pacing around in harmony. It baffled her to see these extraordinary things in one place, making sure to remember this moment forever. Man, if only her brother were here.

"If this is the Magic Council, why are there creatures here?"

It seemed to work. Pacifica turned her head away to see what Mabel was looking at.

"The Council stands for peace and serenity. Every magical being should live in harmony and we're all working together to make that happen. Unfortunately not everything is bound to our ideals and dreams, like that chupacabra from earlier..." she explained. "Or the humans. I was told they tried to destroy us during the middle ages, so we made sure they 'forgot' we ever existed in the first place. Witches, wizards and demons are now superstition thanks to the Council."

Pacifica's face fell somewhat. Mabel frowned in concern. "Oh, so that's why..." she mused in thought. It earned her some attention from the blonde.

"Pines, why don't you know about all this?" she asked in a somewhat stern voice. It made Mabel feel like she had done something wrong and was about to get scold by a parent. "Why doesn't your family teach you about your own kind?"

The brunette just shrugged. "Maybe they're going to," said girl reasoned. "I mean, I'm not exactly the brightest of kids so they're probably waiting 'til they think I'm ready." An awkward laugh and a cough.

"Then what about your brother? Do they tell him anything?"

Mabel shook her head. Hopefully this interrogation was over soon, because she didn't like lying. It was evident the other girl knew something strange was going on, judging by the raised eyebrow she received. But no matter what was asked and no matter the bond she had with anyone, as long as it wasn't a Pines she was talking to, she couldn't tell.

"Why would they kill you?" Pacifica then asked. Mabel's confused frown returned. "Huh?" she responded with a dumb expression on her face.

"Back there," the blonde started. "Back at the library. You said your parents were going to kill you. Why is that?"

Mabel softly bit her lower lip. Darn it, was there no way out? She slipped her tongue back there already, and she knew that if Pacifica kept asking things, she wasn't able to lie her way out of it. She was too honest. Her parents should've raised her with a silver tongue.

"No reason," she blurted out. _Wow, great save Mabel._ "Just the usual parental love and all, y'know, hahaha." _Yeah, that didn't sound forced at all._ How was she going to save herself out of this one? Mabel desperately raked her brain for some lie or distraction, and just as she was about to give up, she snorted and waved her hand dismissively. "Why, d'you care?"

That seemed to hit a nerve as Pacifica huffed, crossed her arms and turned away from the brunette. "No, I would _never_ ," the girl stated. Mabel ignored the small pang of hurt she felt after hearing that. "Though, as next in line to be head of the council, I would like to know if there's trouble anywhere. Anti-magic family should be dealt with."

Anti-magic? Wait, no, that wasn't it at all! Or was it? Mabel wasn't sure, but she was sure she made a mistake here. "Err, I appreciate it, but they aren't anti-magic or anything," the brunette said while shrugging. Now that she thought about it, it _did_ sound like that... "It's just that we can't use magic withou – t proper training! Yeah!"

Well, that was a close call.

"Then why don't they train you?" Pacifica shot back. Her face made it crystal clear for Mabel; the girl didn't believe her one bit.

"Uhh, no space?" Mabel tried, a hesitant smile on her face. No such luck. The brunette sighed and hung her head. "Look, Pacifica... I can't really tell you why I didn't know anything about, well, about all of this! I promised something and you shouldn't break promises..." came the vague explanation.

The blonde contemplated the words for a bit, looked as if she was about to point something out, but then dropped her arms in defeat. "You're lucky we're so dead-set on our rules," she said. "It's not the same as a promise, but... I catch the drift, and I respect it."

While Mabel offered her a genuine grin, Pacifica was forming a new plan in her head. If the girl didn't want to tell this promise herself, then she just had to find out in another way.

"Thanks," Mabel smiled. "My family would have seriously killed me if they found out I told you about the curse thing," the brunette laughed. A few seconds later, she smacked her own mouth shut with both of her hands. If she focussed on her imagination long enough, the girl could hear Dipper already scream her name in sheer horror and disbelief.

"Curse?" came the inevitable question.

Mabel had signed her own death contract. Then again, she already had when she used magic a little while ago, so this wasn't bad, right? She was going to die anyway.

And so, the young Pines was forced to begin the inevitable explanation.

* * *

 **A/N:** I'm anything _but_ happy with this chapter... But Pacifica had to find out in this chapter and that was all I knew about it. I've updated faster than I expected (I didn't expect an update at all lol), but I can't promise steady and fast updates because of school and inspiration. Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed it, despite my confidence in it. Hopefully it helped with some world building as well.

Next chapter, we're going to follow Dipper. He gets spotlight as well, don't worry!


	3. Chapter 3

Wow, this lecture was really boring.

Dipper normally loved learning new things, but this time he couldn't wrap his head around the information he had to write down. In fact, he didn't even scribble the words that came out of the professor's mouth, instead doodling weird figures on paper while his mind was somewhere else.

Thanks to Mabel he couldn't shake the family curse out of his head. They had been trying to figure it out all by themselves ever since their parents denied them any info besides the curse, but despite all those years of prying and trying to find every piece to the puzzle, they had nothing. Maybe one or two pieces that didn't fit together at all – and that's about it.

It frustrated him more than Mabel. She was all about adventure and the use of magic. He just wanted answers. Magic be damned, he'd only use it in difficult situations anyway. Dipper wasn't one to take the easy way out, even if he was a magician.

Maybe he should wait with the investigation until Mabel was back from the library. He could use the extra eyes and pair of brains, and it might be a reward for his sister if she actually got to help after all that studying. He knew how much she hated it, after all.

The boy shook his head softly, trying to clear his mind from all the thoughts about their family and their dark secret. He needed to focus. If he didn't want to end up like Mabel did, isolated in the library for hours to retake tests, he had to pay attention in class and actually participate. So that was what he did. It took him great effort, but he managed to focus and even answer a couple of questions the professor asked.

Dipper was one of the best students in class. Easy to adept in each class and a master in gaining every piece of information he needed for tests. The boy had little trouble acing his tests and becoming every professor's pet. Ever since the twins were little, he'd always been the smart one and Mabel the... Well, the fun one. Sure, he made jokes and had a sense of humor, but when it came down to it they definitely outplayed each other in both fields respectively.

Class ended without further ado, and even though Dipper couldn't help the occasional daydream about certain events in his family, he made sure that he didn't fall behind with his grades or attentiveness. Hours felt like days right now, but he passed through them eventually and before he knew it, he was on his way to the outside world.

Until he passed the copy room.

As if he had some kind of built in radar, he spotted the girl without any trouble at all and immediately halted. She currently stood bent over the machine, probably trying to figure out how to work it since her eyebrows were knitted together in confusion. Dipper didn't even think twice about joining her and coughed, making his presence known.

"Oh," the girl looked up and spotted him. Her long, copper-red hair swished along with the movement, making poor Dipper's heart skip a beat as he neared her. "Hey Dipper. 'Sup?"

The boy had little time to compose himself. His hands now propped in the pockets of his vest, he gave her a nervous smile as he curled his hands into fists. It wasn't really a distraction, but it sort of worked. "Hey Wendy. I was just about to head out – I mean, head home. Heh."

 _Well, so much for looking cool and laid-back..._

"So, what are you doing here?" Dipper tried his best to avert the attention from his awkward laugh, and Wendy's current mission was perfect to serve as a distraction.

"Something stupid," the girl complained. She groaned and put her hands up in frustration. "Teach wanted me to print the handouts for tomorrow, but the dumb machine doesn't even work." She rolled her eyes and huffed, glaring at the copy-machine as if it had just offended her entire family-tree.

Dipper chuckled. It actually looked kind of cute. "You do realize these things can smell fear and anger, right?" he joked, earning a giggle of Wendy as well. He then proceeded to walk towards it, taking her place and looking at it in an attempt to figure out how he could get it to work. A few pushes on buttons later, and it magically came to life. "The trick is to not show your emotions," he stated proudly with a small grin.

Wendy laughed and patted him on the top of his head. "Wow, thanks dude. You saved me some trouble here."

Of course, this made his heart beat a mile a minute. Dipper had a crush on Wendy since forever ago, but when he first confessed, she wasn't interested in him like that. Something about being too young, even though they were only three years apart. Despite the huge wave of pain crushing over him back then, they still remained friends and even went to the same college. Dipper had in no way enrolled in this particular college because Wendy was here. Whatsoever.

He didn't have much of a choice anyway. While there were very few colleges in town, this one had a wide variety of courses, clubs and teachers. He would've winded up here anyway.

"Jeez, they keep on coming. Mind giving me a hand with them? I need to bring them to history class."

Dipper eyed the ever growing stack of papers and averted his gaze to Wendy. Again he needed zero seconds to contemplate his answer. "Sure. Wasn't going anywhere anyway," he smiled. This was a flat out lie. Mabel needed him, and they were supposed to work on their family mystery together. Even so, he figured the brunette could use the extra time to study.

"Thanks man. So how was class? Learned anything new?" Wendy asked as they waited for the machine to finish printing the handouts. She animatedly gestured with her hands as she spoke, making it clear this was a light conversation opener. Dipper shook his head with a smile. "Nah, same old. What about you?" Even though he loved everything that was even a little bit abnormal, he never had a wild story to tell. Wendy did.

But instead of a cool, funny story, Wendy just scoffed. "Robbie's still following me around like a little lost puppy. People think it's cute, but it's _fucking_ annoying." Dipper frowned. How could others think of that as adorable? It was messed up. Especially since it was the young man's own fault for cheating in Wendy anyway.

Although their little chat had gotten a tad serious, Dipper decided to keep it light and joked. "Sorry about that," he started first, his apology well-meant. He then proceeded to punch his open palm with his other fist. "Should I go rough him up for you right now?" A smirk was plastered on his face, an amused twinkle in his eye. If Wendy really wanted him to, he wouldn't even hesitate to jump on Robbie the second she nodded her head. He wouldn't win with his chicken arms, but damn it he would try for her.

Instead of a serious answer, he received another laugh. "Nah dude. I'd rather hang out with you instead of thinking about that loser," she replied. He grinned at her. Dipper wouldn't trade _anything_ for this moment.

Unfortunately their talk came to a halt when the copy machine bleeped. It was finished, and now they had to carry the enormous stack of paper to the correct lecture room. The boy took half of them from Wendy's hand and followed her closely when they left the copy machine behind.

"So no plans after school, huh?" Wendy began to keep the conversation going. Dipper wanted to shake his head, but the images of Mabel feeling miserable and alone in the local library crossed his mind and he couldn't get them out of his head. "Well, actually..." he began, looking up and right into Wendy's hopeful gaze. Wait, was that a silent plead? To hang out? _Together_?

Dipper forgot he had a twin sister altogether.

"Nope. No plans."

Mabel would understand, right? She had guy crushes all the time. She forgot about him all the time.

"Cool! There's this new arcade downtown. Wanna go check it out?" Wendy asked him. She seemed eager to get there, Dipper noticed, because she started to walk a tad bit faster right then. The boy was super excited to hang out with his crush, but instead of channelling that energy through speech, he used it to keep up with the young woman. "Why not?" he responded with a shrug, trying to look calm and collected.

He almost tripped over his own feet, barely keeping hold of the papers he had in his hands.

Wendy snorted very unladylike, but Dipper didn't mind. He actually liked it that she wasn't as girly as Mabel. Or Pacifica Northwest, for that matter. That chick really had no chill.

The boy chuckled as well as they rounded the corner and reached the lecture room. Wendy took over his stack of papers and walked over to the desk, where her teacher was sitting hunched over what looked like tests. "Here you go teach. Was that all?"

The old man looked up, his hairy moustache covering at least half of his face. Dipper wasn't even grossed out. In fact, it looked well groomed, so he was very impressed. "Yes, thank you miss Corduroy," the man said. He then looked back at the tests and remained silent. Wendy saw this as a sign to leave. She grabbed her bag and walked straight towards Dipper.

"Alright kid, time to get your ass kicked in the arcade," she grinned. The boy was unfazed. "Yeah right. I'm gonna kick yours before you can even say 'nooooooooo!'" He struck a dramatic pose, holding up his hands with open palms to the sky as he slightly bent through his knees. A second later he continued walking as if nothing happened, albeit laughing at his own joke.

Wendy joined him. "We'll see about that, nerd," she spoke up, punching him affectionately against his shoulder. He rubbed the sore spot with his other hand and smiled at her. This was nice. As if he never admitted his obsessive crush to her.

It hadn't always been like this. The first few weeks were very awkward and it had left him even more heartbroken. Wendy never avoided him, though. It was he himself who avoided Wendy at his best ability. Being around the girl had made him even more nervous than usual, and thus he frantically sought a solution for his problem – the temporary one being to avoid her at all cost.

They eventually had a talk and it lifted a great weight off his shoulders. Dipper learned to live with it all. The fact that he was probably never going to get over her – that she didn't see him as a romantic interest. Hell, he had even accepted the fact she started dating Robbie some time after, although it still stung his heart a bit and he hated that asshole. But no one liked Robbie. Not anymore after what he did.

Now, however, their friendship was stable. It was always fun hanging out with Wendy, despite the fact that Dipper sometimes managed to piss her off. They would always make up sooner or later and their friendship would be back on track. He wouldn't have it any other way. Aside from, well, his arm around her hip to let the world know she was his and he was hers.

"Have you been in the arcade before?" Dipper asked curiously. He didn't know what to expect, and it wasn't fair if Wendy did. She shook her head in denial, however. "Nope. Been waitin' to find someone else to go with. It opened like a week ago or something," she answered, her gaze shifting to him. Their eyes locked and he felt his heart skip another beat. "I figured that we could go. You like games too, don't ya? I know Mabel does too, but she's busy studying for her retakes, right?"

That reminded Dipper that he indeed had a twin sister, and that he had tossed her aside like some kind of old toy he had grown tired of. Guilt immediately made its way into his mind and he let his eyes fell to the ground. "Yeah, she is," he admitted, his shoulders slightly sagging. Wendy noticed, but she didn't exactly know why he was so sad about his sister fluking. Or, well, partially fluking. Mabel could still repair the damage.

"Hey, come on. She'll make it, I'm sure," the redhead spoke up. She patted his back reassuringly. "This is Mabel we're talking about. If that girl sets her mind to something, it'll get done for sure."

Dipper appreciated it all. He looked up, meeting Wendy's reassuring gaze, and nodded. "Yeah, you're right," he said. The boy then grabbed his phone and started texting Mabel. "I'll let her know I believe in her."

Once he was done writing and the text was underway, he pocketed his cell phone again. Dipper was sure that his sister could go one day without his help, and if she really wanted revenge, she could always slaughter him in Call of Duty later. His mood didn't even falter a bit when he thought of getting his ass handed to him in the first person shooter the twins both adored.

While he thought it odd not getting an immediate response, he just shrugged it off. She was probably busy studying and didn't want to get distracted.

Dipper and Wendy waited for a bus to arrive, talking animatedly about whatever got their attention. When the bus was finally there they both climbed on and drove to where Wendy was sure the arcade was positioned. It took them some time, but they found it eventually. Their eyes turned into saucers as they took in this heaven called 'the arcade'.

"Oh my God," Wendy breathed as she grabbed Dipper by his shoulder. "Dude, are my eyes deceiving me? They have the original _Unimmortal Battle_ standing right there!" It was quite unbelievable if you asked the boy. And also a sight for sore eyes. They even had _Huebert_ standing in the back of the arcade. It was as if they went back in time to the original release date of these games.

Strolling past each and every game they both studied every single detail of them. It was right then and there, when they finished their first round scouting through everything, that they looked at each other and voted unanimously – this place was going to be their new favorite hangout.

* * *

 **A/N:** Not exactly satisfied with the ending, but I'm currently stuck here and I'm in the middle of exams. I wanted to give you guys an update anyway just to show you I'm still alive! Thanks for dropping some reviews; it's nice to know people enjoy what I write and hopefully you enjoyed this chapter as well. This time I did some build-up with Dipper, but for now it's a bit focused around Wendy... I hope it's not too much, but he gets character depth later on.

Anyway, see you guys in the next update! :)


	4. Chapter 4

To say Dipper was happy and content was probably an understatement. He was ecstatic. Both him and Wendy had a good time at the Arcade earlier that evening and no one had actually interrupted their fun time in any way at all. It was just nonstop gaming and getting his ass handed to him. Not that he minded – no, Dipper gladly lost from the redhead if that meant making her happy.

But it wasn't the fun games that made him feel like he could take on anything that would be thrown his way. It was her cute laughs, her sheepish smiles and her triumphant grins that caused this certain stir in the pit of his stomach. Dipper was sure this had a positive effect on him.

When he got home after his little trip, his parents were pleasantly surprised to see him the way he was. The boy frowned, immediately asking why it would be weird for him to be happy. It was when his mother muttered something about Mabel he lost his big, goofy smile and slumped his shoulders a little bit.

Mabel... He had left her to her own devices within the confines of her mortal enemy. She _hated_ the library more than anything and he never showed up to help her, even though he had promised to stick through it together. Guilt immediately replaced his happy demeanour as he left the living room, telling his parents he would talk to her. Apparently she got home an hour ago and she was in a depressing mood.

His knock on the door was hesitant, light even, but it was there nonetheless. It was audible. No response came and Dipper wondered if Mabel had gone to her friends for a sleepover, but he wasn't about to run off. Maybe she had fallen asleep. He just had to make sure she was alright, as she usually got extremely quiet when something was wrong.

Dipper slowly pushed open the door and took a step inside, letting his eyes scan the room. He found his twin on her bed, her entire body limp and her arms spread wide as she eyed the ceiling as if it had some secret pattern scribbled into it. She didn't lift her head or greet him like she normally did, instead just focussing on the mystery that was her ceiling.

The boy swallowed. Whenever his sister was in a sad mood, she tended to think a lot. Whether she was absorbed in her own little world or just really trying to piece a difficult puzzle together, he could never guess. Mabel only had two modes. Overdrive and, well, no drive.

"Hey... Mabel," he greeted the girl as he walked in further, closing the door behind him with a swift movement of his arm. He stopped at the side of her bed and eyed her worriedly. At first he thought she wouldn't respond, but then he noticed the tears in the corner of her eyes.

"Dipper," she breathed. He had to strain to hear her speak, but he was blinded by guilt once more. "Mabel," he interjected, not allowing her to speak further. "I'm sorry I didn't come to help you study. I was being an asshole and I don't know how to make up for it, but please, _please_ don't cry."

Mabel's gaze found his slowly as she sat up with a lingering speed. Her eyebrows furrowed in a confused glance, but it took her a moment to form a response. "... What do you mean?" she finally asked, blinking away the excessive water in her eyes. When Dipper didn't respond, the brunette let her eyes search through her room for clues, finally landing on her cell phone on her nightstand. Then it clicked.

"Well," she started off, drawing a deep breath of air. She let it go. "I guess we both did something stupid, then." Her eyes fell back to the ground, not daring to look her brother in the eye. If she had, she would've seen the mirrored confusion in them. "I..." she began again, but fell silent immediately after. How was she supposed to tell him what happened? _Should_ she even tell him what happened?

He was her brother. Her _twin_ brother. They went through everything together, even after all these years. She'd be darned if he didn't know about her little adventure.

"Dipper, do you have a moment?" Finally daring to look up, she caught his reassuring eyes. He shrugged, waiting patiently for her to continue, but not before telling her she can take her time. The brunette patted the spot next to her, wordlessly inviting Dipper to take a seat there. "Promise not to get mad?" she asked in an almost silent plead.

Dipper frowned slightly. Was this about her studying? If so, the worst case scenario was that Mabel didn't study at all, and, quite frankly, he didn't particularly care that much. His sister knew that, even though he could be uptight, he wasn't _that_ hard on her. "Mabel, what's up?" he countered, worry now evident in his entire posture. "You never act like this. What happened?"

Mabel backed away from his touch, looking at anywhere but at Dipper as she fiddled with her hands. She remained silent in her seat for at least a minute. "I may or may not have broken a promise and told a secret to someone," she finally admitted after several hesitant tries.

Dipper eyed her curiously. What secret could it be? Maybe the one – the boy gasped. "No. You didn't tell your friends about the Lamby Lamby Dance, did you?!" His eyes went wide and he could feel the chill run down his spine as he thought about the consequences of Mabel's supposed actions. _If_ she had told Candy and Grenda about it, there was no way he would live that down. Maybe the news would even spread and eventually end up at Wendy...

It all made sense. The guilty stares, the silence, Mabel's mood. She had crossed a line by breaking one of their set rules; keeping family secrets a secret. The Lamby Lamby Dance was on top of that list, because Dipper was so ashamed of it now that he was older. He sat back for a moment, trying to comprehend what this meant. If his sister had indeed leaked this particular secret, he wasn't sure how to trust her again.

He was sure he had figured it out by now, waiting in anticipation and shock for the reveal. But Mabel shook her head sadly and Dipper was once again left to be confused. "Then what?" he questioned, his gaze never leaving the brunette for a second. He felt she was hesitating again. After spending all those years together, he got to know Mabel inside and out. Even if her own little world was for no one but herself, he could manage to guess every other thing about her. That was the kind of connection they shared – because Mabel knew Dipper just as well.

So she knew she could tell him what was bothering her. Sure, maybe he did get mad or offended. Maybe he couldn't quite understand her reasoning behind what she had done. But that didn't mean he wouldn't be supportive and that didn't mean he couldn't be her brother.

"I went to the library when we parted ways, but when I rounded the corner I saw this... Demonlike creature attack someone. Before I knew it, I was in between them to protect her," Mabel explained softly. She paused, shifting her gaze from the wall opposite of her room to the floor. Her hands had darted to her bed sheets, clenching and unclenching into fists with the fabric in between her slender fingers. "Dipper, I don't know how I did it," she sighed, looking up to meet her brothers curious gaze. "But I used magic today."

At that reveal, Dipper had to take a minute to let the information sink in. Mabel had used magic. They were a part of a cursed family. Said curse meant a bit of your life got stolen every time you used magic. Meaning...

Dippers mouth fell open. Mabel had used a very, _very_ dangerous method to safe this person. On the other hand, his sister looked completely fine. Hell, she even didn't have any scratches from the fight that happened, so that must mean something, right? Mabel was okay. So everything was going to be okay.

"Are you... Are you feeling anything?" he asked, frowning. "Do you feel different? Does it hurt anywhere?" He reached over to her, but Mabel backed away again. It hurt the boy to see her like that, because Mabel usually _never_ backed away from him. Now she had done it twice in one evening.

"I'm just _fine_ ," she hissed. Her sudden anger made him reel back to his previous spot with a straightened back. His hands dropped to his lap. Mabel must've noticed his shock, because her angry frown quickly faded away. "Sorry," she apologized. "I'm just – how come you're not angry? Aren't you disappointed in me?"

When he heard those words, his heart sank to the bottom of his stomach. "Why would I be disappointed?" he cooed, daring to shift ever so closely after all. He smiled reassuringly at her. "You did it to save someone, right? That's not something to take lightly. That's fucking heroic, Mabel!" Dipper made his exclamation even more powerful by throwing his hands up, careful not to hit his sister in the face. Despite the swear, she smiled back at him.

"Now, was that all?" he carefully asked. "If you really did use magic, we might as well try to lift the curse as fast as possible now. I can't have you die on me yet."

Mabel's face told him she wasn't done yet so he remained quiet for the seconds following his question. The brunette rubbed her left arm in unease as she tried to find the right words. "Remember when I said I told a secret?" she responded with a troubled look on her face. Dipper nodded. Then his eyes went wide.

"You told them," he finished explaining for her. "You told the one you saved?"

Mabel winced once, wishing she could be buried six feet underground along with her mistakes. "Yeah," she continued. "I didn't really have a choice... She turned out to be a magician too..."

Dipper couldn't believe his ears. Their family secret, _spilled_! To an outsider! Their parents were going to kill them at this rate, he was sure. They made a promise, after all, and you _don't break a Pines promise_.

"She?!" he exclaimed, his mind spiralling into full panic mode. He jumped away from the bed, grabbing locks of his own brown hair in a frantic gesture, and started to pace around restlessly. "Who is _she_?" His voice cracked. Mabel would have laughed if it weren't for the current situation they were in. "Who did you tell, Mabel?"

Her brother's change in mood caused her to fall into a panic attack as well, though she tried her hardest not to lose it. This was exactly why she dreaded telling anyone, even her own brother. Dipper was patient, but he had his limits and she had just reached it with little effort. If he wasn't going to abandon her now, well, he was nuts.

"... Pacifica."

Dipper immediately stopped pacing around the room. He turned on his heels and caught Mabel's glance. For a moment the room got extremely quiet and neither of them was ready to change that fact. Not until Dipper started to yell again.

" _Pacifica Northwest_?!"

Mabel winced again.

"You told Pacifica, _your archenemy – your nemesis,_ our family secret? Are you crazy?!"

The boy threw his hands up again, this time signalling defeat. He had to admit that, in Mabel's defence, she indeed was crazy. But until today he had always seen it as harmless, because yes she got herself in trouble – but they always got her out of it too. This time... This time they couldn't.

"Okay, I have to admit I kinda am, but Dipper, she knows things! Please hear me out here," the brunette pleaded. His expression could be best described as baffled. Mabel saw this as an opportunity to continue – as he yet had to cut her off. "Apparently, the Northwest family is head of the Magic Council," Mabel stated. She gestured with her hands as she explained, trying to maintain eye contact with her brother all the while. "Which is kind of a big thing because all the rules and stuff start there. _Everything_ starts there. Dipper, we can use all of that! Maybe that way we can figure out things about our curse!"

At this point the girl was excited about their research. No more fumbling in the dark or pointless scavenger hunts. This time they had all the help they could get, Mabel was sure of it.

Dipper was less ecstatic about this whole idea at first. Rubbing his index finger and thumb along his chin, as if he was deep in thought, he carefully outweighed the pros and cons. Unlike him, however, his sister didn't keep quiet while he was thinking and listed off all the pros she could think of.

"They have a gigantic library! It's filled with all these books about magic, and creatures, and spells – oh they also have an enormous archive filled with all kinds of papers about every known magician! We could always ask Pacifica for –"

The girl couldn't finish what she was about to say. Dipper had turned to her, shoving his index finger to her lips when she spoke of the blonde. Glaring at Mabel he spoke up. "We do _not_ , and I will repeat, _not_ ask a Northwest for help." Turning on his heels again, he walked over to the other side of the room with his hand underneath his chin. "But I have to admit... This Magic Council does sound like it could help us out. How do we get there?"

Dipper faced his sister again. Mabel thought deep about the answer, but when seconds turned into minutes, she quickly gave up and sighed, slouching her shoulders slightly. "I dunno," she admitted. "One moment I was standing close to the library, and the next I was there. Pacifica used some sort of teleportation magic, I guess. She never told me how to get to the Council..."

The brunette glared daggers at her brother when she heard several curses come out of his mouth. She then crossed her arms as she tried to think of a solution. Which was pretty simple, actually. But she knew he would never allow her to ask Pacifica for help. It had something to do with a family grudge or whatever. Mabel started to question why the Pines had this logic to begin with.

"You know, we could shove aside our pride and just ask her," Mabel spoke up. They locked eyes, Dipper's being squeezed almost completely shut as he tried to regard her with a stern look. Unfortunately for him his sister didn't falter in the slightest and glanced back at him with fierce determination. He was bound to lose.

Sighing in defeat, and with a look of disdain in his eyes, he hung his head. "Fine," he said. "But just this once!" the boy piped up, pointing his index finger to the ceiling. His body posture told Mabel there wasn't any room for discussion, but she already claimed this as a small victory for herself. Pumping her fist in the air she yelled out excitedly. The both of them then turned quiet again.

"So..." Mabel was the one who broke the silence. "Does this mean we won't tell mom and dad about my... _Situation_?" The room suddenly felt tense, and the brunette was back to the careful attitude she had displayed earlier that evening. Dipper almost felt like he could break her with one wrong move, and so he decided to go against the imaginary rules his family had created. If they were going to do this, they were going to do this together. They always had, and they always will.

He nodded once and smiled. "Don't worry, they won't know a single thing. At least not from me."

Mabel smiled back at him with appreciation. "Thanks bro," she said. Not a moment after she stretched, letting out a tired yawn. "I'm glad we had this talk, but we have to get up early and today made me really tired."

Dipper chuckled and agreed. "Yeah, same here. I'm gonna go hit the sack too. Good night, Mabel."

He turned towards the door and proceeded to walk out, but when Mabel wished him good night as well, he paused and looked over his shoulder to the retreating form of his sister. Giving her one last smile, he then closed the door and went to his own room.

Meanwhile Mabel picked out her clothes for the next morning. Or, at least, she was trying to. Her mind was completely elsewhere as she continued the late evening ritual of getting to bed.

How was she going to approach Pacifica?

* * *

 **A/N:** And another upload when I shouldn't be working on this. When will I ever learn? Probably never. But I'm so glad you guys are liking this fic that I can't help myself... Anyhow, have some sibling bonding of some sort. I don't have any siblings, let alone a twin, so this is basically me wandering in the dark. I hope the Pines are not too OOC in all of the chapters, but I'm fairly certain this is how they feel about each other.

Thanks for the reviews, faves and follows up until now! I'm really happy people want to read more of this. I hope my writing is not too amateurish.

Next up, we will find out more about the curse! Or do we?


	5. Chapter 5

The morning was evil. Both Pines twins could get behind this statement. From the minute their alarm clock rang to signify the beginning of a new day, until they could get some lunch and fill their stomachs in the cafeteria, they would both spend their time in quiet resentment as they took in new information from their classes.

Well, at least Dipper did. Mabel usually spent her time in class doodling her newest crushes in her notebook or gush about them with Candy and Grenda.

This morning was different. As her brother still looked discontent from the lack of sleep, Mabel was ecstatic about today's events. They had a new source of information – a whole lot at that – and she was determined to make use of it.

It didn't take Mabel long to get dressed and have breakfast. She skidded down the stairs after her morning ritual was over and done with, then sat impatiently at the table crunching down on her favorite cereal. Her legs swayed back and forth underneath the table as she ate, making her look like an overgrown little kid waiting for their birthday presents at the dining area. Mabel just couldn't help her excitement.

Dipper came in by the time his sister was almost finished and chuckled. "What? We going to Disney World or something?" he asked as he sat down across from her. "You're awfully cheery at this hour."

Mabel carefully swallowed some of her cereal and then flashed him a grin. "I just feel like this will be the day we've waited for!" the brunette told her brother. He smiled back at her, then started on his own breakfast.

Usually they both waited on each other, but Mabel was way faster today and for good reason. After shoving another two spoonful of breakfast into her mouth, she pushed aside her bowl and stood from her chair. "I'm heading out before you. Pacifica is usually earlier, so I'm trying to make a head-start, 'kay?"

Dipper's face made it crystal clear he didn't like their new plan, but he nodded anyway. If Mabel truly believed this would help them, then he trusted her with his entire heart. That didn't mean he trusted blondie, though.

The girl waved him goodbye, grabbed her bag and ran out before he could even retort. Hopefully his sister knew what she was doing...

* * *

"Pacifica! Hey! ... Pacifica!"

Mabel tried her hardest to grab Pacifica's attention. Ever since she had set foot onto school grounds that morning it had become her life mission to get to the blonde and ask her about the curse. Maybe the girl had done her own research already, because Pacifica had seemed genuinely interested in it when Mabel had told her.

But it was no use. Being a popular girl meant you were surrounded by a heck of a lot of students, and that made Pacifica almost seem unapproachable. Today even more so. Mabel sagged her shoulders when she couldn't get the blonde to take even one look at her – even though she had waved enthusiastically and everything. Maybe later, when everyone was busy eating their lunch. The brunette had no idea where Pacifica would get her lunch, or when, but knowing it was bound to be a thing today it filled her with determination yet again.

And so the young Pines got stuck in class and boring lectures. Mabel could never fathom why her brother liked this so much – she'd rather be out and about, learning new things by _doing_ new things. This was a boring lifestyle, but unfortunately for her it was _her_ lifestyle. Doodling made the pain a little easier to bear, except she had nothing to doodle about this time around. The girl had been too busy thinking about the recent developments regarding her magic abilities to be concerned about boys and, well, boys.

Mabel opted to sneak a glance outside the window around her third lecture, being smart enough to choose this seat every time she could. This might be college and not high school, but darn it, she would be a main character if she could.

Instead of staring longingly to the outside world, however, she caught a glimpse of blonde hair. Mabel immediately perked up, lifting her head from its resting spot on top of her hand and noticed it was exactly whom she thought it was. But if Pacifica was walking around _outside_ the building... That surely meant she was going to get her lunch right now.

This was Mabels only shot. She had to go see Pacifica right away if she wanted some answers.

The brunette shifted her gaze towards the professor and saw the man facing the board while scribbling down several notes. She was probably meant to copy them, but she had other matters to attend. More important matters. Now looking to her right, she saw Candy writing down the same notes on the board and thought fast.

"Pst, Candy?"

It took her two stubborn tries to get the girls undivided attention, but Candy looked anything but angry from having her concentration broken. "Yes?" the raven haired girl answered politely.

"Could you cover for me? There's something I have to do," Mabel vaguely requested. Candy eyed her warily, opening her mouth to retort but eventually thought it better not to go against her best friend's wishes. She nodded in understanding and tossed the brunette a small package from her own bag.

Mabel frowned, catching it and taking a small peek to check what it was. When she noticed what she might have insinuated, the girl couldn't help but feel her cheeks burn. That was _not_ what she meant by 'something', but she had to admit it was a nice cover. Without another word she sneaked out of the room and ran straight for the building's entrance.

"Pacifica!"

The young Pines was barely out the door when she shouted said name, but all she was met with was utter silence. No one was out in the courtyard, and there was no sign of anyone knowing where Pacifica had gone. Until she saw a very expensive looking car speed by. No doubt the blonde was seated in there.

Mabel didn't even hesitate to chase after it. Sure, she would never keep up with it, but the town was flooded with traffic lights. Placing her hopes on the red lights, she tried to push her luck and ran as fast as she could. The brunette turned several corners and dodged a few people on the pavement, keeping a sharp eye on the white Mercedes that seemed to drive faster and faster by the second. Mabel was desperate to reach it.

Unfortunately for her, the car went straight for the centre of town, where salesmen of all kind tried to sell their goods and owned their own stores. One of their strategies was to place their goods out and about on the pavement, so poor Mabel had to jump and twist to be able to get by. The brunette barely dodged a rack of clothes before she had to jump over a set of ill placed buckets, running straight into a group of teenagers when she tried to keep her balance.

They all tumbled to the ground, the girl shouting an apology in complete embarrassment. She had almost looked cool after all that free running...

When Mabel got up and fixed her hair a bit, she noticed just how busy these streets were at this time of day. She could no longer see the car, or Pacifica for that matter. Slouching, she looked back down at the teenage boys trying to keep their cool. Weren't they supposed to be in school, anyway? They completely ruined this one chance she had.

No, she shouldn't blame them. The brunette blamed herself instead. This was her own fault. She should've looked where she was going. Now she probably wouldn't find Pacifica anym–

"Not that I particularly care, but are you – no, I should certainly ask why you were following my car."

That voice! Mabels mood took a turn for the better as she spun on her heels to look a certain blonde in the eye. Since the latter wore shoes with heels that day, the task became a lot harder. "There you are!" the brunette exclaimed with a huge grin tugging at her lips. "I've been trying to talk to you ever since this morning!"

Pacifica raised an eyebrow sceptically. "And why would that be?"

Mabel glanced around her, noticing the teenage boys had long been gone. They were still surrounded, however, as this was one of the main streets. People were trying to enter stores and walking around with a few shopping bags on each hand. "I need to ask you something... Like, in _private_."

A sigh and a roll of the eyes was all it took for Mabel to get dragged along. The brunette gleefully let it happen, waiting to be pulled to whatever magical store hidden in this exact street as they dodged several men and women. Except that didn't happen. One second they were strolling into the darker back alley and the next they were back in the Magic Council. That was slightly disappointing.

The difference between their visit yesterday and now, was the fact that they were alone this time. There were no creatures or other magicians, just a room that looked like they were in a principal's office thanks to the wooden walls and the furniture. Mabels eyes skimmed the wooden desk and chair, eventually ending at the all but comfortable looking couch in the far corner of the room. Several book cases were scattered around the room, filled with books and files and more books. She didn't dare to walk up to one and pick a file to look at, though.

"How do you do that?" Mabel asked, glancing up to meet Pacifica's glare yet again. The blonde frowned. "Is that your question?"

The brunette took a moment to understand those words and the harsh tone lying underneath it. She did say she had to ask something, but that wasn't it. Well, not entirely it. "No, no," she therefore said, shaking her head in the process. "I – Well, since I used magic and all yesterday, it kind of became a priority to lift the family curse. I told Dipper about what happened and we were wondering if we, y'know..." She drawled the last part, hoping the girl already understood her question and granted permission, but when their eyes locked it didn't seem like it. "Could use the library here?"

Pacifica's eyebrows drew down and it looked like the corners of her mouth did too. She lowered her head to be at an even level with Mabels. "Last night I went to investigate this issue myself," she started. The brunette had no idea what to expect, but she was placing her bets on a scolding from the looks of this. "I don't know what your family did to get cursed, nor do I particularly care, but there was hardly any record on it."

Mabels heart sank. Not even this library held information for them?

"The Pines are described as lowlife scum in every record I could find. They probably decided your family was such a disgrace that the public eye of the magicians and creatures weren't supposed to know about you, and therefore kept all the files to themselves. I know where I can find them, but quite frankly, I don't know if it's going to be worth my time."

The disgust in Pacifica's eyes stung her to the very core. Mabel had done nothing wrong and neither had the rest of her family. She was sure! Or was she? Maybe her ancestors really were the scum of the earth. That would explain the secrecy of her parents...

"Look, I don't know what happened," Mabel started, trying to grab the blonde's attention once more. "But I've done nothing wrong and neither has Dipper. Besides, you owe me! I saved your life yesterday, so you can't let me die without any help."

Pacifica's eyes widened for a second before the angry scowl returned. "I owe you _nothing_ ," she spat at the brunette. It didn't faze the latter, however, because the look of determination remained in her eyes.

"Fine," Mabel started again. "You owe me nothing, but didn't you say that, as soon to be head of the Magic Council, you'd help those in need? I'm in need of help! I'm dying here, Pacifica. Who knows when I was supposed to die, and now I've even got less time to enjoy my life." She crossed her arms and glared at the blonde, doing her best to look intimidating. But her frame looked small compared to Pacifica. Her shoulders were broader and her build was a little less fragile, but she was still smaller in comparison and that didn't help at all.

Her words, however, did. Pacifica sighed, paraded towards the desk and opened the drawer on the right side of the wooden furniture. She pulled out _another_ file and placed it on top of the desk, closing the drawer neatly as she sat down on the chair. Mabel frowned in confusion, but walked up to Pacifica regardless. "What's that?" she asked, pointing towards the paper in the blonde's hands.

"This," said girl began, waving it around softly. "Contains the information that I've found yesterday. It's not much, but it's a start."

The corners of Mabels mouth twitched upwards. "Wait, you were actually planning to investigate some more?" she asked. Pacifica laid the file back on the desk and coughed. "I told you, I'm next in line, and if there's any trouble surfacing I would like it to be dealt with. Even if your family turns out to be the lowest rapscallions out there, you guys are still magicians and therefore you are still part of the "family". My parents don't like the idea of me prying around, though, so I didn't want to get your hopes up so soon."

It was too late. Mabels hope and mood was rising through the roof. She jumped towards the blonde to give her a hug – but was pushed away at the last second. "Watch it, Pines. I'm the only connection you have and you don't want to ruin that."

The brunette immediately stepped back and held up her hands defensively. "Sorry," she apologized, a sheepish grin on her face. "What did you find?"

Pacifica turned back to face her desk and opened the folder slowly. "Not much. I _really_ had to dig around to even find something about the curse, but according to my source it might have originated in a place called Gravity Falls," the blonde explained. She turned back to Mabel and held up a small picture of a wall engraved with a lot of symbols.

"See this one?" she asked as she pointed to a triangle. It appeared to be wearing a small hat and it's eye was very unsettling. The entire picture was, if you asked both of the girls. Mabel nodded slowly. "I don't know what it is, but it keeps coming back. I'm drawing a blank here for now..."

The brunette rested her index finger against her lips as she placed her thumb underneath her chin. She wasn't much of a thinker, but perhaps she could help out? What would Dipper think now? Maybe... Maybe there was a connection between Gravity Falls and the figure. "Wouldn't we find out more if we visited that town you just named?" Mabel asked after a moment of silence. She _could_ be smart if she wanted to.

The pat on her back didn't last long. Pacifica immediately shot down the idea. "Absolutely not," the blonde warned. "Gravity Falls isn't safe for creatures or magicians, let alone humans and... Well, you and your brother."

A frown was the first reaction Mabel could give. What was that supposed to mean? What happened to Gravity Falls? As if Pacifica could read her mind – or her face, really – the blonde answered the unasked questions with ease. "Many years ago someone opened a portal to a different dimension and almost ruined ours by doing so. At first nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but stranger creatures than ours began showing up and threatened the population."

Whoa, wait, what? Mabel couldn't believe her ears. How come she never even heard of that before?

"Rumour has it that the dangerous creatures originate from Gravity Falls, but I believe nothing of that. We've had violent beasts even before the portal there was opened," Pacifica continued. She stood from her chair and walked towards a book case, resting her finger on a hard cover and then slid it past several more books. "Gravity Falls was closed down while the Magic Council tried to get rid of the creatures, but the portal and the one responsible were never found..."

Pacifica finally pulled out a book and showed it to the brunette. Mabel tried to read the title first, but the object was pushed into her hands before she got the chance. "Read this. Show it to your brother. Don't go to Gravity Falls."

Glancing down at the cover, she could make out the name 'Gravity Falls' in elegant letters. Raising an eyebrow and opening her mouth to retort, she looked back up – only to be met with strangers strolling her way. Mabel frantically looked around to search for Pacifica, but it seemed like she was back on the main street again. The blonde was nowhere in sight.

* * *

Dipper was so engrossed in his reading that he couldn't hear his sister rambling as she was pacing back and forth in the room. His eyes quickly scanned all the pictures, drawings and notes scribbled around them. "So, all these evil looking things – these 'creatures' as you call it – _those_ are what reside in Gravity Falls?" the boy asked, finally looking up from his pages. He noticed Mabels unease.

"Yes!" she almost yelled at him. "Pacifica told me specifically not to go, and looking at these things I know why she doesn't want me too, but this... This could be it, Dipper! What do we do?" She hadn't even noticed her hands were in her hair.

It was clear Mabel was battling a whole different battle than he was. To him it wasn't even a question anymore. He wanted to go, with or without his sister. But how would he defend himself? Luckily for both of them he was a reader, and if he had caught great information before, now he had discovered _amazing_ news.

"I don't think they're there anymore, Mabel," he simply stated, catching his sisters full and undivided attention. She rushed to his side and urged him to go on. "It says here that these beasts are drawn to negative emotions. Gravity Falls has been deserted for _years_. There's no negative emotion there anymore," he explained. "We're safe to go, so... Do you want to go or not?"

Mabels smile reached her eyes. "Of course!" she responded almost immediately, her excitement evident in her posture. She could barely restraint herself not to do a small dance right then and there. "But," she started again, her tone more serious. "What are we going to tell mom and dad? We still have school tomorrow and they maybe won't let us go."

Dipper shook his head with a smirk. "Already taken care of sis. We just tell them we're going camping for the weekend to have a little brother-sister bonding. No one's going to suspect a thing."

The brunette mirrored his smirk. As long as Dipper was with her, there was no way they couldn't handle any type of situation. Gravity Falls didn't know what was coming for them.

* * *

 **A/N:** Hey, I updated! I'm not dead! Yet. I was hoping I could finish this chapter now and I did, I'm so proud of myself. Why? Well, I wanted to wish you guys a happy new year! May 2016 be filled with lots of happy moments and with great (mental) health.

And so the mystery begins :) Hope you enjoyed!


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